Lin Qiang was taken aback. The previously blurry words had suddenly became somewhat legible, though not entirely clear. The specifics of Wang Jiaxin's fortune and risk factor remained obscured.
This indicated that GoldenEye could be improved, allowing him to see more, see more clearly, and potentially gain more significant insights. Perhaps, when GoldenEye became strong enough, it could even turn losses into gains, changing his fate.
Feeling a surge of joy, Lin Qiang realized that the refreshing sensation he experienced after securing Zhou Ren's investment was likely due to GoldenEye's enhancement. After all, Zhou Ren making more money was beneficial to the bank and the economic environment, which counted as a virtuous deed.
He silently noted the situation with Wang Jiaxin, deciding to investigate further when the opportunity arose. Raising his glass, he said, "Never mind them. We're enjoying ourselves more."
"Indeed, cheers! It's been a while since I've felt so relaxed!"
Lin Xiaozhao, her cheeks flushed, added with a smile, "Me too... The last time I drank was at my graduation party."
After another round of drinks, they continued chatting and discovered they were all alumni of the same university and department. This revelation brought them closer, making Lin Qiang and Zheng Shuai feel like seniors to Lin Xiaozhao.
Lin Qiang also learned more about Lin Xiaozhao. Her family wasn't in Jijing, and she initially got placed in another outlet. However, to save on rent and avoid burdening her family, she requested a transfer here. Though working at United Bank should have ensured a good salary, she was still an intern and was being suppressed by Zhang Jiaming, making her struggle.
After a long conversation, their moods lifted considerably. Lin Xiaozhao felt relieved not to be handling tedious tasks anymore, while Lin Qiang and Zheng Shuai reminisced about their student days, a rare pleasure in their cutthroat banking environment.
After dinner, the trio arrived at their apartment building. Lin Qiang and Zheng Shuai bid farewell and started heading downstairs.
"Hey? Why are you going downstairs? Our dorms are on the 7th floor," Lin Xiaozhao asked, puzzled.
"Damn Zhang Jiaming!" Zheng Shuai cursed, "No, it's also Hao Wei's doing, pushing us into the basement."
"That's not right." Lin Xiaozhao frowned. "There are three rooms on the seventh floor. The outlet manager and Zhang Jiaming share one, but the manager never stays there, so Zhang Jiaming has it to himself. The other two rooms are for us girls, but the married girls drive home, so only three of us live there. There's plenty of space for you two!"
"Dammit, so that's it!" Zheng Shuai cursed loudly. "Just so Zhang Jiaming can have a four-person room to himself? I can't stand this!"
Lin Qiang's approach was more direct. He grabbed a discarded drill bit from the roadside. "If he doesn't give us the key, we'll break in."
Seeing Lin Qiang's determination, Zheng Shuai felt a bit scared and tried to dissuade him, "Let's not escalate things... I'll call Zhang Jiaming..."
"No need to discuss with him. Do we owe him any courtesy?" Lin Qiang scoffed, "Let's go upstairs."
"Supervisor... please don't..." Lin Xiaozhao, fearing trouble, tried to intervene, "How about... you stay in my room first..."
"Oh?!" Zheng Shuai raised his eyebrows, letting his imagination run wild.
Being transferred here turned out to be a blessing!
Lin Xiaozhao continued, "I'll move to the next room and stay with the two sisters."
Zheng Shuai's excitement plummeted.
Lin Qiang pondered for a moment. Breaking the door would mean paying for repairs. Lin Xiaozhao's suggestion was more practical, so he put down the drill bit and led Zheng Shuai to retrieve their belongings from the basement.
Watching their silly backs, Lin Xiaozhao giggled—
Mom was wrong.
There are good people in Jijing after all.
...
That night, Lin Qiang and Zheng Shuai had a good night's sleep.
The next morning, after tidying up, they left Lin Xiaozhao's room and ran into a bleary-eyed Zhang Jiaming.
Zhang Jiaming was stunned. The cigarette in his mouth dropped, leaving him in a state of shock.
"There are free beds here, so we moved up," Zheng Shuai stretched and gave Zhang Jiaming a push. "You don't mind, do you, buddy?"
"But... Lin Xiaozhao..." Zhang Jiaming stared at them in disbelief. "Did you... move together?"
"Yeah," Lin Qiang said, pressing the elevator button with a smile. "I heard there's still room in your place. Should we move in with you?"
"No, no... The manager also lives here," Zhang Jiaming shook his head quickly, his chubby face twisting in confusion. He couldn't comprehend the bizarre situation. Was the shy girl suddenly opening up?
At 8:30, the morning meeting began as usual.
Hao Wei first praised Lin Xiaozhao for securing the deal yesterday, then announced her formal transfer to the lobby for marketing. Lin Qiang then started reassigning Lin Xiaozhao's previous tasks.
He had everything memorized and announced clearly, "Sorting and communicating internal documents, and submitting reports to the branch will be my responsibility. Zheng Shuai will handle performance reports and contract filings. Lin Xiaozhao will cover urgent teller duties. Zhang Jiaming will be responsible for routine cleanliness checks and liaising with security and janitorial staff."
After Lin Qiang's announcement, there was a silent agreement, followed by faint laughter from some.
Liaising with security and janitorial staff...
What a great task...
Zhang Jiaming's face turned beet red.
Lin Qiang anticipated this and sternly said to Zhang Jiaming, "If you find it difficult, these tasks can go back to Lin Xiaozhao since you weren't handling them anyway."
Zhang Jiaming glanced at Hao Wei, then swallowed his pride and accepted. It was a meaningless task, just a matter of face. Doing reports would have been much more tiring.
"Following orders and teamwork is essential," Zhang Jiaming forced a smile and accepted the task.
"OK." Lin Qiang turned to Hao Wei. "Manager Hao, I have two suggestions to improve our marketing performance."
"Go ahead," Hao Wei said. Improving performance was beneficial to him, which is why he had agreed to Lin Xiaozhao's new role.
"Firstly, regarding the distribution of credit card and online banking tasks," Lin Qiang didn't hesitate to bring up yesterday's findings. "Currently, Zhang Jiaming handles all of these, which is too much pressure. It would be better if the tellers also marketed these services while processing transactions. This would give Zhang Jiaming more time for high-value client marketing, and the tellers could earn higher bonuses. Most outlets already do this."
The room fell silent for a few seconds.
Everyone was aware of this issue but didn't dare to mention it due to Hao Wei's authority.
Now, the tellers were both grateful and astonished. Lin Qiang, their new supervisor, had identified the key issue on his first day and openly addressed it. His insight and courage were impressive. By raising this issue in a staff meeting, he directly challenged Hao Wei and Zhang Jiaming. Most importantly, this change had no direct benefit for Lin Qiang. He did it purely to ensure fairness for the tellers.
The tellers had long been frustrated by Zhang Jiaming taking credit for their sales. Their eyes showed their anger and gratitude. They had wanted to fight back but lacked a leader.
Lin Qiang's stature instantly grew in their eyes.
But for Hao Wei, the atmosphere turned icy.
Yesterday's confrontation was tolerable, but this directly involved significant interests.
Hao Wei took a deep breath, his face darkening. He abandoned his usual smile, "Zhang Jiaming has been here the longest and has always handled these tasks. The team has its divisions of labor, so let's not discuss this further."
Lin Qiang felt a jolt of tension at Hao Wei's sudden firmness.
Hao Wei's expression was stern. This was serious. Lin Qiang hadn't expected such strong resistance. Had he crossed a line?
He hesitated, unsure whether to push further. This was, after all, a bank, not a place where every issue could be resolved by sheer willpower.
Just then, the long-silent tellers finally spoke up.
A younger teller with short, dyed hair stood up angrily, "Manager Hao, most outlets have tellers handle these sales. We already do, but the credit goes to Zhang Jiaming. It's unfair!"
Lin Qiang's eyebrows shot up. His plan had worked.
The tellers' agitated and slightly angry expressions were evident. The spark had been lit.
Now, it was Hao Wei and Zhang Jiaming who were isolated.
This bold teller caught Lin Qiang's attention. Her name was Xiao Xiao. She was slender and tall, with a more assertive demeanor than the other tellers. She seemed like a native of Jijing.
Bang!
Hao Wei slammed his hand on the table and stood up, pointing at Xiao Xiao, his voice rising, "Everyone has their duties. Tellers should focus on their tasks. I will handle other matters!"
Xiao Xiao was just a girl and a teller. Facing Hao Wei's rebuke, she bit her lip and sat down, not looking at him. Leadership decisions were ultimately in the hands of the managers.
"Damn it," Xiao Xiao muttered under her breath.
Her words, not too loud or too soft, were heard by everyone, but no one dared speak. The atmosphere grew tense again.
Hao Wei's face twitched with anger.
Lin Qiang realized that continuing to push would be unwise. He had discovered Hao Wei's bottom line, and his goal was already partly achieved. Further efforts could be made later.
"Since Manager Hao has arrangements, we can revisit this another time." Lin Qiang supported Hao Wei, "Manager Hao, please sit down. I have another matter to discuss."